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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fork · pass · bear · prune · craft · firm · bowl · spring

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. firm — a company
  6. prune — to trim
  7. firm — steady
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. spring — a coil
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. craft — boats
  12. spring — the season
  13. firm — decided
  14. spring — of water
  15. craft — a skill
  16. fork — in a road
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pass — a permit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bear — the animal
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. fork — a garden tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com